With every passing day I feel more guilty about taking the ash cloud so lightly last week. I never expected it would go on and on and on and ...

I don't see anything beneficial about people being unable to get home or get away on vacation or to sporting events or whatever. I'm not at all like those environmentalists who are openly thrilled that the ash cloud has caused a fall in carbon dioxide emissions across Europe.

Still, I did find myself in a very quiet Sally Gap, Co. Wicklow {photo} last week and I took this short video of the silence.